3 Places To Check For Mold Before You Buy A Home

Buying a new home can always be exciting, but it can also be terribly unnerving to consider the fact that you could be inheriting a previous homeowner's problems after purchase. If there is one problem you don't want to inherit with a new home purchase, it is a mold problem. While some forms of mold inside the home can be easily managed and eliminated, there are some types that are both extremely dangerous and extremely expensive to get rid of. It is always best to know how to look for mold problems when you are buying a home. Check out these three places you need to make sure you look for mold when you are considering buying a home.

In the Crawlspace or Basement

Because the crawlspace is situated so close to the ground, mold problems can start to develop here and spread to the rest of the home. Because basements are so prone to leaks, mold problems often start to develop in this space as well. Therefore, before you buy a home, these are two areas that you must carefully examine. be on the lookout for signs of standing water, either in the basement or under the house in the crawlspace. Do not ignore blotchy areas on walls or the underlying frame of the house, and pay careful attention to musty smells.

Around Baseboards

If a home is airtight and there is a mold problem, the mold spores will collect in some pretty odd places that you may not initially notice. One such place is the top lip of baseboards that surround the base of the walls. Even if there is no apparent mold on the drywall, the mold can start to collect at the baseboards. This is almost a surefire sign that the walls have been exposed to moisture for a long enough period that mold has started to develop. This will show up as a dark greyish-blue line that can be easily mistaken for dust or dirt without closer inspection.

In Cabinetry

For the most part, cabinets stay closed, which means the space inside is dark. Mold spores prefer dark, damp areas because this is the environment that best supports growth and development. Make sure before you buy a home, you grab a flashlight and take a look inside of cabinets–especially in areas where there are water lines and pipes located, such as in kitchen or bathroom cabinets.

Constructing a new home can be a rewarding experience, but it also tends to be a pretty stressful time as well. There are a myriad of aspects to think about and keep track of. Who will design and plan your home? Who will do the actual construction? How will the home and landscape be designed once everything is built? And if you're like most people, you probably wonder how you'll incorporate all of the features you want in your home without breaking the bank. This blog is designed to provide people just like you with tips and tricks of the construction trade so your new home build goes smoothly and gets completed on budget. You may even get a few design and structure ideas here too!